The time-honoured G1 Easter Handicap mile has provided some amazing winners and associated stories so no surprise another chapter was added today. The winner Pondarosa Miss has overcome injury in the spring, as did her then rider Daniel Hain, to finally get what she and he deserved and that is a G1 on their resume. Hain, who has a super record on the mare, got rewarded too for his patience and hard work to get himself and the mare back into the winning zone again. The tale does not end there as the regular recent rider on the mare Noel Harris had been trying to win a G1 on her and set a world record in the process for the oldest jockey in the world to do so. Harris retired just a fortnight ago and would you believe it Pondarosa Miss did the business. Some records are not meant to be broken it seems. The trainer Peter Hollinshead gets credit too along with Hain, as getting Pondarosa Miss back mentally let alone physically strong enough to not just perform but win again has been a journey. The mare loved the wet ground and when this normal backrunner was ahead of the midfield at the halfway mark then swam into fourth near the home turn, it seemed she was the one to beat. She then out-toughed the opposition the run home to get into a narrow lead at the 100m then held on tenaciously. It was the fifth win for the daughter of the former super sire High Chaparral. Vespa the 3yo tried hard after getting a soft sit throughout and his connections now have wider parameters to pursue with what at first looked just a sprinter and now can cope over a mile. Whether they try up to 2000m is now in the hands of the trainer but in New Zealand would be the wisest to attempt it first. Kawi was a certainty beaten after being tardy then getting hampered and settling last in the big field. He ran on resolutely closer in than the other pair and would have won easily if away normally and then able to come wider the run home for the faster lanes. To be beaten so narrowly is a credit to the horse and his will to win despite adversity in the running. Allez Eagle set a reasonable clip and wilted to fourth but was far from disgraced. The winning time of 1:38.50 was far superior to any other mile time on the day and by in fact by eight lengths to the Ratings 75 (final race on the card) being the next best gallop. Mighty Solomon ran a decent race for fifth and enjoyed the weight drop while the unluckiest horses this season Abidewithme ran another cracker for sixth. Iamishwara was not disgraced into seventh considering his weight and Pussy O’Reilly as she can do, ran on late. Addictive Habit liked the wet ground but found racing close under the weight a bit much though he is still on the way up this winter campaign. Forgive the mare Chintz as the footing cruelled her chances and the stablemates To Be Sure and Candle In The Wind did not go too badly all things factored in. Nashville was poor and his will to win anymore may be on the wane while Fast Dragon suffered a wind affliction and dropped right out. Some things in racing deserve to happen and at G1 there is no higher shelf to reach the summit or mantle to perch upon. Pondarosa Miss, the rider and trainer and of course her owners that have had a rollercoaster season starting in the spring all proved that good things come to those that wait. On the same flip of the coin of luck spare a thought for Noel Harris, who but for two more weeks should be sitting alone in the world record books as the oldest rider to capture a G1. Another fine chapter written for the 2015 Easter and this oldest race bejewelled with amazing names and epic achievements has just had another wonderful twist and turn added too it.